Evening Star Newspaper, October 18, 1931, Page 96

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, OCTOBER 18, 1931. & /HE BrRIDGE FFORUM great war, and was written after the armistice. “Now It Should Be Told” may be an apt name for this “inside story” of the true facts con- cerning the birth of the new “Official System” of contract bidding. So many misconceptions of the situation have arisen that it seems high time to abandon the policy heretofore held by the Bridge Forum and accede to the requests of those readers who have been asking for light. It had been held that bridge players are interested in so- called bridge authorities only to the extent of wishing to know what they advise, not caring how they decided upon that advice. ‘This has be#h proved a fallacy by repeated questions as well as arguments wherever bridge enthusiasts foregather. They want to know what is back of it all and the reasons. They are entitled to know from one who has the facts and can present them dispassionately. To start at the beginning, Earle S. Steeves, + who had been engagad in the merchandising of bridge supplies by mail order and otherwise for some years, last Spring went to a general manu- facturer and business man named F. Dudley Courtenay with a “big idea.” The idea was that bridge players were obliged to pay un- necessarily high prices for most of their equip- ment because the average store had to obtain its goods from hundreds of different sources in such small lots that it could not obtain a real wholesal2 price for them. If somebody big came into the field and furnished a store with everything it needed in bridge goods it would be a matter of one big order at a low price, hence the store could sell at proper low prices to the bridge-playing public. Mr. Steeves pointed out that to do this suc- cessfully the organization must merit the abso- lute confidence of the stores and public alike. This could be cone, he argued, if the confidence of all the nationally prominent bridge authori- ties could be won, so that they would become members of an advisory council and guide the destinies of the organization in all matters having to do with the game itself. Mr. Courtenay, an enthusiastic bridge fan, did not mergly “see” the idea; he extended it. It Couldn’t Be Done, but Was. “Why not,” he asked, “‘get all of those suthorities together in the name of such an organization to render the greatest possible service for bridge players everywhere—the standardization of contract bidding? ‘This would enable many more people to take up the game, people who hitherto have steered away because of the confusion of countless systems.” Told by various people that this couldn't be done, that each authority was committed to his own particular bidding method, Mr. Courte- nay decided to see them himself and find out about it direct. Each of the first few called upon said he would gladly join in such a sorely needed enterprise, but that nobody else would. That was enough for him. The organization was born, the project launched, under the name o Bridge Headquarters, Inc. Those who were asked to accept places on the advisory council, committed to the stand- ardization of bidding, were Work, Whitehead, -Lenz, Shepard, Reith, Liggett, Wyman, Jaeger, Wolfe, French, Adams, Richards, Culbertson, Scott, Mrs. Kerwin and the conductor of this forum. Every one of those invited accepted whole- heartedly with the exception of Ely Culbertson &~q4 Gratz M. Scott. The others now constitute the advisory council, with the exceptions of Wilbur C. Whitehead, who died shortly after giving invaluable service to the enterprise, and R. R. Richards, who resigned. Victor R. Smith and Mrs. Guy V. Purdy have been added to the council, which with Mr. Courtenay has 16 members. The position of Mr. Culbertson in the matter has been misunderstood by many of those in- ‘terested in the situation. Mr. Courtenay spent three hours one early June afternoon in Mr. Culbertson’s cffice trying to get the latter to join with his contemporaries so the job could be a unanimous one, utilizing every bit of know- ledge gained by the research of all along various lines. Mr. Culbertson tried to get Mr. Courtenay to have the council “acknowledge the Culbert- son system as already standard everywhere” and “recognize me as the outstanding author- ity,” on which terms he would join. Mr. Courtenay could not do this, and did not con- sider it correct. He did his best to change Mr. Culbertson’s stand, but failed; so he departed with regrets that the project could not be quite unanimous. Mr. Scott rejected the invitation because he was a member of the Culbertson teaching forces. With the organization formed, its first meet- ing was held on June 16 in New York, a date in bridge annals to be long remembered, the first occasion on which any prominent bridge authority agreed to co-ope.ate on an equal basis with other ones to producc the best system their combined brains could c-.ntrive. What occurred at that meeting and later on will be told in succeeding weeks. This install- ment should help clear up three misconcep- tions. First, the new group has declared war on nobody; it regrets that it is not unanimous as to all the prominent authorities; it has work to do, to help more people to get more benefit and pleasure from playing bridge; it is not. in any so-called “war of systems.” Second, its ‘members are not engaged in ‘‘commercialism ‘masquerading as altruism”; they are seeking # render an honest service because that is their idegiof how to achieve their own success. Third, it hopes that any one else who honestly strives in his own way to help the bridge player will be successful, too, for the general betterment of the situation, which means much to all OW IT CAN BE TOLD” was II the title of a book on the be- hind-the-scenes facts of the Presenting the Inside Story of the New ““Of- ficial System”’of Bidding—Other Bridge “Doings” of the Weck. By Shepard Bar‘clay Contract Bidding. How would gpou bid the following hand, South being the dealer and neither side ou!- nerable? HKQJILT62 ¥ None *Q7 MAKJIS AAS YK96542 *J »10985 SOUTH & None YAIL ®AK10843 HQT7632 If this hand is started with one diamond in the South, a mass of bidding follows. West bids a heart, North makes a game demand takeout of two spades, East should essay & “nuisance bid" of three hearts, South four clubs,- West four hearts, N<rth five hearts to ask for a slam and show no heart losers, East pass and South six clubs. If West feels healthy enough to double this, North should promptly redouble. Neither North ncr South can sanely bid the easy grand slam, for South doesn’t know but what a club must be lost and North can't tell that a spade won't be lost. Some users of the intermediate two bid would consider South's hand strong enough for that call and begin with two diamonds. If West sticks in two hearts the ensuing bids are the same a; already given. Some would not inject that call, in which event Ncrth would merely say two spades, South three clubs and North six clubs. A Law a Week. What occurs if, after onc player has bid seven spades, the opponent on his left bids seven diamonds? If the next player shouid bid, pass or double before attention is called to the fact that his bid hss been insufficient, his bid is legalized and the bidding g-es forward from that point. Otherwise his insufficient bid must be made sufficient, in any suit or no trump; in this case the only sufficient bid would be seven no trump, so he must bid seven no trump. Great Newwo H )/a'mulic Laboratory Continued from Twelfth Page feet of pipe upstream from the venturi meters so that the flow at the meters should be quite free from disturbances, particularly if straight- ening vanes control the flow in the main flume. Baffles will be mounted in the high-walled section of the flume just below the gates, and a measuring weir can be placed there if de- sired. At the outlet end of the flume the water will ordinarily fall into the tumble bay, whence it will be returned to the supply basin through the various return channels if desired. To measure volumetrically the flow in the flume the water will be diverted in a measuring basin by means of a swinging gate at the outlet of the flume. “When the flow in the main flume is diverted into the measuring basin the water level in the supply basin would have a tendency to fall several feet, thus increasing the pumping head and slightly effecting the constancy of the flow in the flume through the slight change in the head of the overflow units. To obviate this condition the supply basin is to be divided into two parts and the water level in one maintained abcut nine feet higher than that in the basin from which the large pumps take their suction. By means of quick opening sluice gates and two quick opening valves in the wall between the two basins a practically constant level within six inches can be main- tained in the low-level basin. The arrange- ment also has the further important advantage that if one supply basin has to be emptied for repairs to the pumps or other equipment the laboratory cun still be operated at part capacity from the other basin, since the smaller pumps in the laboratory will draw their suction from the high-level basin. o “On the first floor .near the south wall of the discharge tank there will be a group of three pumps with capacities of approximately 2,250, 4,500 and 9,000 gallons per minute, re- spectively. A third group of pumps, consisting of two centrifugal pumps of 2,250 gallons per minute capacity, will be placed on the third floor. In order to reduce the pumping head these pumps will take their suction either from the discharge tank or from one compartment of the constant level tank on the second floor, as desired. Another pump with a capacity of from 6,750 to 9,000 gallons per minute will be placed in the basement near the west and of the building. “The primary means of measuring water and flows up to about 5,400 gallons per minute will be provided by two 20-ton weighing tanks arranged in parallel so that one can be filled while the other empties. It will thus be pos- sible to conduct a measurement continuously over as long a period as may be desired. The larger measuring basin will be used to measure volumetrically large flows in the main flume. A series of smaller measuring basins will be provided by inserting bulkheads in the high- level return channel. The volumes of all the measuring basins will be determined by direct measurement and by the weighing tanks. A third means of measuring flows, both large and small, will be provided by venturi meters. It will be possible to calibrate these meters both by means of the large measuring basin and by a pitot tube transverse; hence it is anticipated that a high degree of accuracy, probably better than 0.5 per cent, will be possible I measuring flows in this way. Secondary means of measuring flows for indi- vidual tests will be provided through weirs or orifices. When particular accuracy is required the weighting tanks will be used for tests con- ducted on the second floor. “A large amount of unobstructed floor space will be provided. Flumes, river models, or straight lengths of pipe up to about 240 feet in length can be built on either the first or second floors. An unobstructed area 44 by 78 feet will be provided on the third floor. In general tests requiring heavy models and large quantities of water will be conducted on the first floor. Flows of from 22,500 to 31,500 gal- lons per minute can be obtained on this floor outside the main flume. On the second floor flows up to 15,750 gallons per minute will be possible, and provision will be made for supply- ing water to several different experiments on this floor simultaneously and independently of each other. The third floor will be reserved for small-scale tests requiring quantities of water and for tests on wide models of mod- erate length requiring not over 4,500 gallons per minute of water.” What occurs if, after a double of a three- heart bid, the other three pleyers pass and the doubler then bids three spades, after the con= tracting is legally crtosed? Problems of Play. If your side had such excessive confidence that you b.d one spade in the South, North three clubs and you three no trump, West lead- ing the deuce of diamonds, how would you plcy the following hand? AK Y1092 eA93 SAJ10963 aJ42 YKJG3 ¢ 10842 HET AAQI105 vyQs4 ¢JS hQ854 H98763 WATS ®KQ76 &2 “Things develop most amusingly in our favor,” says Miss Katherine Pelton, who played this hand. “The diamond lead remcved the jack from East and gave me the trick with my gueen. After the club finesse put East in with the queen, she saw the single spade king in LAdummy and took two spade tricks, refraining from a third spzde lead because my bid made her think I must have the jack. Neither did she return her partner’s diamond up to dum- my's ace, but a small heart to dummy's weak~ ness. “From the start I as not very optimistic, but the heart lead gave me courage. I used my ace, led a small diamond, ¢f course finessing the nine, then the ace of clubs, praying thac the king was now unguarded and would fall. Iie did, and the rest of the clubs were set up. The diamond ace gave me my ninth trick and they could take the last Qeart trick for all I cared. Fortune had smiled and so had distribution. Stolen fruit, perhaps, but how sweet!” The New Problem. After the king won the first heart trick in dummy, how would you plan the play of the Jollowing hand, the contract being three no trump? P PAKT32 98754 hJ3 AJ9754 ¥QJI653 *J HE4 A Q1063 20 ®AK32 ®AQL05 Even Pigs Like Kindness HE recent controversy in Chicago between Mrs. Irene Castle McLaughlin and a farm owner over the question cf the sanitation of the hog pens on the farm may have been dismissed by the general public with a shrug, but back of it lies a new order in swine-raising circles. It has been generally conceded that hogs live in muck and filth and little thought toward bet- tering their condition has been given. Experts o{ the Department of Agriculture, however, never satisfied with existing conditicns, have been experimenting with the result that definite figures have been obtained to indicate the eco- nomic soundness of raising pigs in more sani- tary surroundings. A typical case is cited in which a farmer with 20 sows raised an average of a little less than five pigs per sow last year. It required eight months to bring these pigs - to a weight of 200 pounds each under the old system. This year, however, giving heed to the Government experis’ warning and advice, he averaged eight pigs per sow and in five months, 32 of the pigs had reached a weight of 200 pounds each. Butter Fraud Revealed HESE old proverbs work out some times, but at other times the results are not so good. Take the case of a shipper in New York re- cently who fell afoul cf the law for shipping oleomargarine as pure creamery butter. Some time ago he was arrested for shipping a mixture of oleo and butter labeled as pure butter. Not having had much success with that venture, he decided to “try, try again.” His technique in the second attempt was bet- ter. He operated under a series of names. He had a bank account under one name, a mailing address under another, purchased oleomargarine under a third, used a fourth for storage pur- poses and sold under a fifth. His system seemed too gocd for him to waste on a mixture of butter and oleo so he just dispensed with the butter and sold the oleo straight. It took a little lonmger and a wider search to run him to earth, but as is the case with most Ftderal offenders, the law finally caught up with him.